The Gear Junkie's September Mini Challenge - VOTE

FruitarGeek

Thanks again to [url=http://www.thegearjunkie.co.za/]The Gear Junkie[/url] for sponsoring this competition. :applause: Look at all these entries. Even I came out the woodwork.

There are two categories. If a person didn't specify which category they were in, I'd give them benefit of doubt, and put in category 1. Also, I'm trying something new - if you submit a song without a name, then I reserve the right to call it whatever I want :P Graeme and Squonk, you were the unlucky victims this time.

[b]2 Votes, one per category.[/b]

[b]CATEGORY 1[/b]

[b]Stoffeltoo - Something Spanish in Am[/b] http://guitarforum.co.za/gfsacomps/mp3s/stoffeltoo.mp3

[i]Laptop, Lexicon Lambda, C1 and C2 mikes in stereo channels Guitar: Taylor 214ce

Post recording mixing done.

This piece is an expansion on another idea previously posted [/i]

[b]Lu22 - Ampolla en el dedo-medio[/b] http://guitarforum.co.za/gfsacomps/mp3s/lu22.mp3

[i]After 3 hours of failed recordings I settled on this. At this point I don't even know if it sounds Spanishy, but hoping for the best. [/i]

[b]Hasie - Asturias[/b] http://guitarforum.co.za/gfsacomps/mp3s/hasie.mp3

[i]It’s not original. I did a simplified version of Asturias. [/i]

[b]Graeme Messina - Spanish lady of the night [/b] http://guitarforum.co.za/gfsacomps/mp3s/graeme_m.mp3

[i] Played on my nylon string beater and due to the whole "no outputs" thing I used my headphone mic to record.[/i]

[b]CATEGORY 2[/b]

[b]Squonk - Wine with Juanita[/b] http://guitarforum.co.za/gfsacomps/mp3s/squonk.mp3

[i] Takamine Nylon -> Behringer UCA202->Audacity 2 tracks - I kind of explored the harmonic minor scale! A bit shoddy due to time constraints and I need to get a better DAW. REAPER next time![/i]

[b]Adrian Rogowski - Come back Pedro[/b] http://guitarforum.co.za/gfsacomps/mp3s/adrianrog.mp3

[i] one two cha cha cha Fender > Presonus Tubepreamp > M-Audio interface > Ableton Mixing, one of the simplest tunes I did, did panning, no EQ, and very light compression on the lead guitar - mostly played with volumes[/i]

[b]V8 - Percha Dieciocho[/b] http://guitarforum.co.za/gfsacomps/mp3s/V8.mp3

[i] Left hand inspired by Megadeth, right hand by Rodrigo y Gabriela. Been wanting to try this "homage" out for a while, hope you enjoy it![/i]

[b]studmissile - Just between Lovers[/b] http://guitarforum.co.za/gfsacomps/mp3s/studmissile.mp3

[i]This started with such good intentions……….[/i]

(old forum) Poll Results: Please vote

Stoffeltoo: 9
Lu22: 1
Hasie: 4
Graeme Messina: 1
Squonk: 5
Adrian Rogowski: 3
V8: 0
Studmissile: 8

NorioDS

Wow! Great turnout ?

Hasie

Yoooooo! Voting is going to be difficult. I just listened to all of them, and I honestly can't choose. :applause:

Lu22

Great tracks guys.
Only realised how slow my track was after I submitted it and listened to it without the click track. Should have used a faster tempo.....

Hasie

Lu22 wrote: Great tracks guys.
Only realised how slow my track was after I submitted it and listened to it without the click track. Should have used a faster tempo.....

It sounded fine to me.

I have some timing issues on the chords. Should have tried to redo that part.

TokyoP0P

Very nicely done! My favourite two belong to Stoffletoo and Studmissile.

Stoffeltoo

?Most entries yet 8)
Sheesh guys, Respect! :yup:
Stud! You make the feet go! Brilliant!
V8, Love what you've done, almost a hint of James Bond in Spain
Adrian, Very Hot! modern Latin beat. Can just see them Latinas gyrating to this tune
Squonk, Love the melody for its almost well fortified Port tone, The tune is really inspiring and worth exploring further.
Greame, Almost spooky in feeling. One of those songs, close to the cantina with a baddie lurking in the dark
Hasie, Lekker one, quite challenging and well done for attemting it. Even I shake when just looking at the fingering
Lu22, Spaghetti western through and through with Trinity gnawing his cigar. A whistling melody would have created the exact ambiance. The tone was really nice and full
No comments for Stoffeltoo

iainrossouw

Great Entries everyone. Listened to all of them an I think it is as much a preferred style as well as preferred expression vote for this one. Like the different picking styles that showed up. I can honestly say that here we have a tune for every different feel and atmosphere.

Well done to all of you.

I had to sit out this time. More's the pity. I had theorised something but just did not get around to it this time.

Next time.

V8

Eight entries! That I didn't expect, well done everyone - really enjoyed the wide range of interpretations of what "Spanish" is, very cool.

For me, we're alllll winners ?arty:

Here's my 0000.2c

Hasie : A little long @ 1m15s, I reckon you could have got it down to under 40s. But very nicely executed. Top job.

lu22 : Nothing at all wrong with the tempo, thought the strumming pattern worked - was crying out for a little melody? Really good quality on the recording too, nicely done, keep em coming.

graeme_m : Brooding, darker piece - liked it. Ended a little abruptly for me though?

Stoffeltoo : Very nice work, a easy vote in Cat 1. A Spanish meets western feel...? Perhaps a little too much reverb for my taste, pushed the instruments back a bit farther than my ears wanted to hear - but that's a personal taste thing.

Adrian : Great to hear you back in the challenges! Well done on nailing the triplets in the rhythmic, was on a electric guitar? Not easy to do, especially on a electric - even more difficult to get a good recording of them. To my ears a cuban afro style/labamba tune, the outro really reminded me of a Richie Valens tune...

Squonk : Siesta Iniesta = My choice for "most Spanish". Great composition, great playing - the lead really make my ears stand up and take notice, worked well with the underlying rhythm. For sure the recording can do with some polish - reaper (5.x) here we come...=D

Studmissile : At first I was a bit perplexed, when I kicked my mind out of "Spanish = flamenco" - I got it. Spanish folk music - And it was good - and I like. Well done!

Lu22

V8 wrote: Nothing at all wrong with the tempo, thought the strumming pattern worked - was crying out for a little melody?

Well Firstly gotta thank Hasie for borrowing me his Yamaha THR - it's an awesome little amp to record with. And regarding melody - by the time I had finished a rhythm recording that I was satisfied, I had a blister almost the size of a 10c on my middle finger (hence the track name) so I wasn't up to playing any more.

Oh and many thanks to V8 and Hasie for the advice regarding which chords to use!

Hasie

V8 wrote:

Hasie : A little long @ 1m15s, I reckon you could have got it down to under 40s. But very nicely executed. Top job.

?

I am very certain it is 37.x seconds long, well within the time constraint. The mp3 info shows 38s. In Windows media player, the mp3 stops just after 37s, and that is how long it was in my DAW as well, after I recorded it.

Thank you for the positive feedback V8 and Stoffeltoo.

Hasie

Lu22 wrote:
V8 wrote: Nothing at all wrong with the tempo, thought the strumming pattern worked - was crying out for a little melody?
Well Firstly gotta thank Hasie for borrowing me his Yamaha THR - it's an awesome little amp to record with. And regarding melody - by the time I had finished a rhythm recording that I was satisfied, I had a blister almost the size of a 10c on my middle finger (hence the track name) so I wasn't up to playing any more.

Oh and many thanks to V8 and Hasie for the advice regarding which chords to use!

:goodtimes:

V8

Hasie wrote: I am very certain it is 37.x seconds long, well within the time constraint. The mp3 info shows 38s. In Windows media player, the mp3 stops just after 37s, and that is how long it was in my DAW as well, after I recorded it.

Ahh, yes - sometimes MP3 encoding doesn't work quite how it should. I use Media Player Classic or VLC (can't stand Windows Media Player and Windows Media Center makes me scream out in agony) and both were showing 1ms15 - though playtime is 37s as you say. My bad.

I've had it happen to me occasionally - the length mysteriously shows double what I expected.

Lu22 wrote: And regarding melody - by the time I had finished a rhythm recording that I was satisfied, I had a blister almost the size of a 10c on my middle finger (hence the track name) so I wasn't up to playing any more.

Yeah, I fully understand - I wasn't in the mood to play/record after a weekend of cleaning house - In 40mins, I managed three takes, a quick mix - then tapped out & went to bed ?

Squonk

V8 wrote:
Yeah, I fully understand - I wasn't in the mood to play/record after a weekend of cleaning house - In 40mins, I managed three takes, a quick mix - then tapped out & went to bed ?

Haha. I had a similar weekend. Knocked the the piece up, did a couple of takes and then cringed when I heard it the next morning!

Great entries every one!

I think enough has been said about all the entries. You guys are a long way down the road of recording than I am!

You all deserve an honorable mention!

briang-telkomsa-net

What a turnout!!
Made my vote in each category....and

(Hasie - improving with every challenge (playing and recording))

Hasie

briang wrote: What a turnout!!
Made my vote in each category....and

(Hasie - improving with every challenge (playing and recording))

Thanks. Much appreciated.

Squonk

Hasie wrote:
briang wrote: What a turnout!!
Made my vote in each category....and

(Hasie - improving with every challenge (playing and recording))

Thanks. Much appreciated.

Definately - You have a real passion. Not an easy piece either!

V8

Lu22 wrote: Oh and many thanks to V8 and Hasie for the advice regarding which chords to use!

Hasie wrote: Thank you for the positive feedback V8 and Stoffeltoo.

A pleasure guys - I've a real soft spot for the GFSA challenges. Something about the creativity the recording process inspires...that and it can be a really useful mirror of where you need/want to develop your musicianship.

Maybe I'll get off my phat ass and do a simple E7, Amin, GMaj, FMaj progression as a jam track sometime. Maybbee...when I get another mic and figure out how to use it properly. My very knowledgeable mate had a listen to my entry and muttered mysterious phrases...""Proximity effect" and "Multiband compression", whatever that means ?

Hasie

V8 wrote: My very knowledgeable mate had a listen to my entry and muttered mysterious phrases...""Proximity effect" and "Multiband compression", whatever that means ?

You hurt your what? ???

Squonk

V8 wrote:

A pleasure guys - I've a real soft spot for the GFSA challenges. Something about the creativity the recording process inspires...that and it can be a really useful mirror of where you need/want to develop your musicianship.

Maybe I'll get off my phat ass and do a simple E7, Amin, GMaj, FMaj progression as a jam track sometime. Maybbee...when I get another mic and figure out how to use it properly. My very knowledgeable mate had a listen to my entry and muttered mysterious phrases...""Proximity effect" and "Multiband compression", whatever that means ?

Thanks a lot V8 for all your encouragement! You made me dust off my crashed laptop and get the recording juices going!